Columbus Crew primed to set sail for a new soccer world in Austin, Texas
October 19 – One of the MLS’s founding clubs, Columbus Crew, looks set to leave its Columbus, Ohio, home and relocate to Austin, Texas, and a new purpose-built stadium.
Finance
Perform builds performance data powerhouse with Scout7 acquisition
By Paul Nicholson
October 19 – Perform Group has bought sports technology company Scout7 adding a deeper level of sports data to its media and professional services businesses. Scout 7 will work closely with Perform’s OtpaPro, developing new “product set” of performance data and scouting solutions.
Spanish prosecutors add Marcelo to list of foreign stars accused of tax fraud
October 18 – Real Madrid star Marcelo is the latest player to be accused by Spanish authorities of tax fraud, this time totalling €490,000.
Eurostadium builder offers up cash and redesign as UEFA deadline nears
By Samindra Kunti
October 18 – Construction consortium Ghemlanco has proposed a new design and extra funding for the Eurostadium in Brussels in a last-minute effort to push ahead with the controversial project for the 2020 European Championships. UEFA has given a deadline for clarity on the stadium build of November 20.
Tifosy raises £1m to expand its crowdfunding model in Europe, China and the US
October 18 – Tifosy, the sports crowdfunding platform that enables supporters to invest in clubs, has raised £1 million via crowdfunding for its own rights issue.
Ashley confirms Newcastle United is for sale
October 17 – Controversial Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley (pictured) has put the Premier League club up for sale after a decade-long reign in charge of the iconic English team whose 52,000 capacity stadium is close to full most weeks courtesy of a fanatical fan base.
Al-Qadi of the Rovers: Jordanian finds football roots and passion in west of England
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – Arab investment in European football has become commonplace in recent years with the likes of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates taking over a number of leading clubs. But further down the pyramid, a Jordanian businessman is reaping the rewards of putting his faith in a lower-league English team.
What can you buy for £25m? Bolton, their ground, a hotel and 40-acres of land
October 9 – Ken Anderson, owner of English Championship Bolton Wanderers will sell his 94.45% stake in Burnden Leisure, the club’s holding company, for £25 million.
Newcastle loses court appeal as tax fraud investigation into player wages ramps up
By Paul Nicholson
October 6 – Newcastle United have lost the first legal round of the case against brought against them by the UK tax authorities. A court has ruled that the dawn raids on the club’s office on April 26 were legally authorised and that there are grounds to suspect the club has “systematically abused” the tax system.
UEFA probe into PSG spending opens with first interviews in Nyon
October 6 – UEFA’s investigation into whether Paris St Germain have broken financial fair play rules got under way this week with PSG officials summoned to UEFA’s headquarters, according to l’Equipe.
Ashley calling the Toon? Is Newcastle United ownership heading east?
October 5 – The financial rumour mill is again buzzing with talk that Mike Ashley could at last find a buyer at a price he would accept for Premier League Newcastle United.
One for you, more for me: Premier League chiefs clubs vote on handing Big 6 extra cash
October 4 – English Premier League club chiefs are gathering in London today for what is being touted in some quarters as one of the most important meetings since the league’s creation in 1992.
Real, Barca, Chelsea and Bayern stretch pay vs revenue benchmarks
October 4 – Despite talk of luxury taxes, salary caps and squad limits, the financial reality is that top clubs can afford the ever-inflating costs of players and staff, according to latest research from the KPMG Football Benchmark team.
West Ham warm to new shareholder after remaining Icelandic stake goes stateside
October 3 – Premier League West Ham United have a new 10% shareholder after the residual holding held by Iceland’s CB Holding, who gained the shares after the collapse of Iceland’s Stramur Investment Bank in 2009, sold to US investor Tripp Smith for an undisclosed sum.
Lukaku value jumps €56m, Mbappe up €50m, even Neymar is worth €28m more
October 2 – In what other business could your value to an employer go up by over €50 million in just three months, doing exactly the same job you were doing three months earlier? And if you are to be valued at that level, and you are an asset rather than an employee, wouldn’t the smart business person cash in on that value?